The present invention relates to a cover apparatus adapted to be mounted on a vehicle frame element in order to protect the frame element from scratches and other damage. The present invention also includes one or more detachable pouch compartments which are mountable to the cover so as to provide storage space for the user of the vehicle. Particularly, the present invention is adapted to be used as a covering for a motorcycle gas tank so that the gas tank is protected against scratches and mars that would be detrimental to the appearance of the gas tank.
While vehicle covers, generally, and motorcycle gas tank covers, specifically, have been known in the past, there yet remains a need for an attractive gas tank cover that is inexpensive yet easy to mount on the vehicle frame element to be protected. Such tank covers or tank bags include, for example, a motorcycle tank cover shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,059,207 issued Nov. 22, 1977 to Jackson et al. This patent shows a storage bag attachable to a gas tank by means of a plurality of adjustable straps extending around the tank.
The Chase Harper Company of Santa Barbara, Calif., produces several different types of tank bags where an independent cover may be positioned around the motorcycle tank and mounted thereon by means of corner pockets and zippers. Independent pouches or compartments are provided with metallic O-rings so that they may be independently attached to the tank cover by means of Velcro strips, and a zippered access to the fill hole of the gas tank is provided in the cover. Other covering assemblies sold by Chase Harper utilize strap mounts similar to the Jackson et al patent, and further tank covers utilizing mounting straps are sold by Eclipse, Inc., of Ann Arbor, Mich.
While these tank bags have been successful in providing storage compartments for cyclists, and, indeed, have offered some degree of protection for the motorcycle tank, there have been inherent drawbacks in the use of attachment straps and the various fasteners used to mount the covers and bags to the gas tank. For example, it has been found that, while the cover generally protects the gas tank, the snaps sometimes cause scratches or damage to the finish on the motorcycle tank. Also, the use of cinch straps is cumbersome when the cyclist must have access to the fill spout of the tank, and, where the straps need to be detached from the motorcycle in order to reach the fill spout, a loaded tank bag can become dislodged from its position, thus requiring extra effort in remounting the cover to the tank before the motorcycle can be ridden.
There is therefore a need for a tank bag and cover which is easy and convenient to mount onto a vehicle frame element, which is versatile in use, and which does not utilize a complex or cumbersome attachment structure to secure the covering to the frame element. It is further desirable to provide a covering that is neat in appearance when mounted, for example, on a motorcycle gas tank and which provides ready access to the gas tank fill spout without requiring detachment of the cover and bag compartments.